


Just a Little Crush

by elsewherewolf



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Angst, M/M, and herc just despairs, but raleigh likes older men, chuck has a crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2013-09-21
Packaged: 2017-12-27 05:24:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/974926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elsewherewolf/pseuds/elsewherewolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chuck walks in on something he shouldn't, and rips into Herc about it.  But Herc isn't about to give up the one thing that makes him truly happy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a Little Crush

**Author's Note:**

> written for a kinkmeme prompt: Herc and Raleigh are dating, depsite the fact that Chuck has a crush on Raleigh. Angst por favor.

"I'm sorry, I thought you didn't even-"

"What? Didn't what? I'm twenty-one years old, dad, and the most serious relationship I have is with Striker!"

Herc looks at his feet, wishing he could go back and just read the signs a little better. He'd never seen it, not once, but now that he thinks about it, didn't he used to pull the hair of girls he liked back when he was a kid? But that was _years_ ago, and honestly? He'd seen nothing but hostility from his son as far as Raleigh was concerned. Until today, when Chuck had shown up unexpectedly and there was really no way to disguise what he'd been doing with the guy his son was apparently crushing on. 

"I had no idea you liked him at all, let alone... in that way. And I was going to tell you, but-"

"Oh, before or after I found out anyway? We drift, dad, I'd see it. God, you two are arseholes. Can't even wait until this is all over, can you?"

"Might not be here when it is," Herc mutters, but Chuck catches it.

"Speak for yourself, old man."

"He makes me happy."

"So did mum, so why didn't you save her?" 

And there it is. Herc's fucking limit has been found. His voice comes out dangerously low, even to his own ears. "If I had, son, you wouldn't _be_ here to be pining after Raleigh Becket. Maybe none of us would. Don't you blame me for that, just don't."

" _Pining?_ What, because that's worse than just getting your bloody end away with a guy who's eighteen years younger than you? Just save it, dad. Do what the fuck you like, screw his brains out til the world ends. I don't fucking care any more."

"Chuck..." It's too late; the door slams and Herc's left standing with a breaking heart, because he's taken away Chuck's one shot at something normal, and he didn't even know it. He should have at least _known_ , shouldn't he? He's the boy's _father_ , for chrissake. 

He sits on the edge of his bed, pulls his fingers through the messy sheets, and thinks of Raleigh. He'd seen the look in Raleigh's eyes when Chuck had seen them there, like he wished there was something he could do but no, this was between Herc and his son. It wasn't his _fault_ that they were attracted to one another. He couldn't just turn it off and tell Raleigh to go for Chuck instead, make him happy and heal the wounds that Herc never could.

It's late when Raleigh shows up again at his door. Herc's breath catches in his throat, and he touches Raleigh's eye, gentle.

"He's confused, that's all. Don't say anything, okay?"

"It doesn't give him the right-"

"He can't have me, Herc. And at the same time, he doesn't want you with anyone else because you're his _dad._ You shouldn't be moving on before he's gotten over his mom. _Especially_ not with me."

And Raleigh nudges past him with that, letting Herc close the door before he turns around and holds out his hand.

"What am I supposed to do about him?" Herc laces their fingers together, pulls Raleigh close to him. 

"I don't know," Raleigh says, taking handfuls of Herc's shirt and leaning to brush a kiss to his cheekbone. "Maybe you can tell him I'm a lousy lay or something."

Herc laughs, though it's mirthless. "Think I'll stick to the truth. However much it might hurt, he's got to know that loving you doesn't stop me from loving him too."

"Oh, what's that...? You _love_ me?" Raleigh's teasing, but his smile fades a little when he sees how serious Herc is.

"Started falling in Manila, haven't much wanted to stop since. Managed to keep it pretty well buried til you showed up here. That's the difference, here. Chuck has a crush. He's young, he saw you with Mako in the Kwoon and he got turned on and mistook it for something more. He'll realise that, sooner or later."

"Did you?"

"Did I what?" Herc should know what's coming, the mood Raleigh's in.

"Get turned on, watching me fight?"

Herc laughs, and thinks _yeah, maybe this will all work itself out._ "Come to bed and I'll show you exactly how much you turn me on."

"And Chuck?"

"Chuck will have to get over it. I'm not giving you up, not for anyone. I don't know what's going to happen down the line, but I'm not about to let go of the best thing to happen to me in years."


End file.
